In India, politicians are considered at the top because they have power, money and luxurious bungalows in the safest and poshest areas of the city. Even though leaders always go among the public in plain kurta-pajama, they live a luxurious life as soon as they get the chair. Actually, the houses of many leaders in the country are discussed. This includes former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami. There are names of other big leaders in this list. But, the name of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is going to be included in these luxurious government bungalows.
Actually, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is currently running the government in the state. Before this, he had been the Chief Minister of the state twice more. A new controversy has started in Jharkhand. This controversy is related to the construction of the proposed government house of CM Hemant Soren. The estimated cost of construction of this house is Rs 68.91 crore. A political uproar has arisen in Jharkhand regarding this estimated cost of constructing the house.
The state’s main opposition party BJP has termed it a wasteful expenditure, while the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has defended it as an essential infrastructure project. In such a situation, let us know what this whole controversy is about…
Also read: How a controversial agreement is reshaping tribal politics in Tripura?
How much will the house cost?
BJP has claimed that the proposed house of Chief Minister Hemant Soren could become one of the most expensive houses in the country. BJP state president Aditya Sahu alleged that Soren is not building a house but ‘Sheesh Mahal’. The cost of building this house can be more than Rs 100 crore. Earlier, BJP had addressed the government house of Aam Aadmi Party President Arvind Kejriwal as Sheesh Mahal, which had played an important role in toppling his government.
In fact, on March 25, the Jharkhand government issued a ‘Very Short-Term E-Quotation Invitation Notice’ seeking quotations for the construction of Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s house on Kanke Road, Ranchi. That means the government released the e-quotation invitation notice in a very timely manner. The government has said that the tender will be published on the website on April 2, after which a pre-bid meeting will be held on April 8. The last date for bid submission is April 29 and the bids will be opened on April 30.
According to the tender, the estimated construction cost for Soren’s house is a little less than Rs 69 crore. BJP’s Aditya Sahu has claimed that this estimated cost does not include the interior and furnishing of the house, hence its final cost will increase significantly.
What is in the government tender?
The estimated cost of the project in the government tender documents released is Rs 68.91 crore. This cost includes GST consultancy and legal charges. Rs 47.80 crore will be spent on the construction of the main building of the house. Apart from the basement, it includes ground and one floor above. This includes Rs 1.29 crore for electrical work in the house, Rs 1.01 crore for sanitation and plumbing, Rs 1.08 crore for fire-fighting systems, Rs 1.30 crore for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems and Rs 58.88 lakh for lifts.
Also read: Why did tennis legend Leander Paes join BJP? Reason given by yourself
Apart from the main structure of the house, this estimate also includes the development of the entire area on a large scale and supporting infrastructure. It includes a fountain worth Rs 1.99 crore, landscaping and gardening worth Rs 2.63 crore, boundary wall and main gate, parking facilities, a sewage treatment plant, stormwater drainage, as well as external electrification and surveillance systems. Including all these works, the base project cost becomes Rs 56.81 crore, which is increasing to more than Rs 67 crore after GST. Also, expenses like sudden exigencies, labor cess and consultancy fees are amounting to Rs 68.91 crore.
This will be one of the most expensive houses in the country – BJP
BJP says that it has been raising the issue of this proposed house for more than a year. The party says that when the cabinet had approved provisions like fountain worth Rs 2 crore and garden worth Rs 2.5 crore. Now that the tender has been done, it is clear that this is a big issue in the state. BJP said that the estimate of Rs 67 crore is only the base cost. Also, the party says that after adding interior and furnishing, the total cost will easily cross Rs 100 crore.
BJP is claiming that the proposed house will be one of the most expensive houses in the country. It has also been said that this money is too much for a poor state like Jharkhand. The party compared the welfare schemes of the state and said that in a state where the government says that it does not have funds for schemes like providing permanent houses to the homeless and scholarships, it is absolutely wrong to spend so much money on the Chief Minister’s house.
‘The future CM will also use the office’
However, the ruling JMM has rejected BJP’s allegations, calling the project a routine infrastructure initiative of the government. The party has said that the proposed house is not for any one person, but for the office of the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. JMM has said that this is a government project whose objective is to strengthen the infrastructure. The Chief Minister’s house is not for any one person. Whoever holds the Chief Minister’s office in future will use this house.
Comments are closed.